Grant PUD will spend much of the next two years preparing to make a big change in the way it buys the electricity it needs when generation from Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams isn’t enough and sells when the dams generate more than what’s needed to power the county.

A special group of 3,600 “electronic” juvenile salmon and steelhead will get helicopter rides in late April through May to transport them on a special mission for re-release into the Columbia River.

Commissioners hosted March 24 a public hearing on Grant PUD’s Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT), a standardized master plan that will foster the most-efficient use of the capacity on the Grant PUD transmission system.

Want to know more about Grant PUD's new rate-setting policy? The following FAQ will help. Why the change to the rate-setting policy?

A scheduled rate increase for Grant PUD customers will start April 1 to counter inflation-fueled increases in costs on everything from wire and transformers to office supplies, plus cover increasing utility operational and capital requirements.

Work is underway to create Grant PUD’s next, state-mandated Integrated Resource Plan, which describes how the utility will meet customers’ demand for electricity from 2027 to 2046, while maintaining reliable service in compliance with the state’s clean-energy requirements at the lowest electric rates possible.

Note to customers:  Grant PUD commission meetings are normally the last Tuesday of the month. That date was moved up a week this month, to Feb. 17, because three of the commissioners will be in Washington D.C. next week on Grant PUD business. The Feb. 24 commission meeting has been cancelled.

Commissioners could decide at their next workshop Feb. 17 whether to preserve the golf course on Crescent Bar Island or redevelop the 46 acres to support additional camping, disk golf, mini golf or more natural areas that would appeal to a broader range of visitors.

Grant PUD Commissioners unanimously approved new electric rates for all customers during their business meeting on Jan. 27. The new rates take effect on April 1.

Advanced efforts are underway to develop a long-term plan for transmission system upgrades and expansion that will include a public-facing website that shows where transmission service is available, how much it’ll cost and how to request it.

Commissioners reviewed public input received on the proposed 2026 rate package during their workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 13. Commissioners asked the public for their comments on a proposed increase of 3.5% for residential, general service/small business, and ag customers (core customers). A 9.5% increase is proposed for Tier 1 and Tier 2 (noncore) customers. (See more here). The rate adjustment is intended to balance affordability for core customers while ensuring financial stability in a high-inflation environment.    Grant PUD gathered feedback through multiple channels: 

The quick, coordinated efforts of Grant PUD crews, contractor GrayMar Environmental, and the state Department of Ecology played a critical role in effectively responding to the Dec. 3 release of 84 gallons of mineral oil from Grant PUD’s Priest Rapids Dam into the Columbia River.

One thing became clear during commissioners’ Dec. 9 public hearing to present and explain the utility's estimated need for a decade of electric rate increases – Grant PUD isn't the only one feeling the prolonged strain of high prices. The members of the public in attendance said they were feeling it, too.

EPHRATA -- Come share your thoughts Dec. 9, 2025, when Grant PUD commissioners host two public hearings. One hearing focuses on 2026 rate increases and a 10-year trajectory to cover projected inflation and production costs. The other hearing will set the utility’s state-mandated conservation targets.

Scroll down to follow incident updates...  Crews place protective booms on the Columbia River near Vernita Bridge 12/3/2025 and 12/4/2025Priest Rapids Dam